Marc Slatterly is Wil’s second in command. A lifelong friend, he’s always been Wil’s most trusted companion (until meeting Matilda, of course). They’ve been in more battles than either of them cares to remember and somehow, miraculously, lived to tell about it.

What is your name?

Marc Slatterly.

What do you do?

I’m a retired Galactic Marine and former Captain of the Galactic Mining Guild. Now, I’m second in command of the Shakazhan Force.

What is your biggest fear?

I don’t scare easily, but I’m worried that one day Wil is going to get himself in a scrape that I can’t dig him out of. He’s gotten us into some hot spots before, but we always manage to squeak by. When does out luck run out?

What would you give up everything to have?

What kind of question is that? I would give up a lot for Becky and our kids. I’d sacrifice my life to keep them safe. But when you get down to it, if you give everything up, lay down your life, who’s going to keep them safe the next time?

What is the biggest mistake you’ve ever made and are you going to be able to rectify it?

The biggest mistake I ever made was not trusting Wil when he said Lill was a traitor. I should have believed him, no matter what. We lost a lot of years because I was an idiot who traded my best friend’s fidelity for a back-stabbing bitch.

What food would you never eat?

Mango Macaroni Surprise. The surprise is, it’s completely inedible. I would rather starve than eat that again. There aren’t words to describe how bad it is.

You’ve dressed to impress. What are you wearing?

You’ve never seen anything more impressive than the uniform of a Galactic Marine. It’s flashy as hell, but damn it’s impressive!

What one thing have you found unattainable thus far in your life?

I guess I’ve lived a fairly charmed life. Everything I’ve most wanted, I’d attained. If we could beat back this damn Kahlea, well, that’d be great.

What is about to change for you?

If the Kahlea shows up as expected, life as we know it will change. I like to hope we’ll stop him before he gets here. At the very least, we’ll be able to stop him before he kills us all.

Where do you live?

We make our home on Hammer, a sentient warship that’s in orbit around the planet of Shakazhan. Want the coordinates?

What do you see when you look in the mirror?

I see a man who’s been through hell and lived to tell about it. I’ve got my demons, but I’ve managed to conquer most of them. I see a face that hasn’t aged in over 60 years. It’s a blessing and a curse. I also see a problem solver, a leader, husband, father, brother…. It’s the face of a man doing his best and loving hard.

Who do you hate and why?

I used to hate Wil, but that faded after the first decade. I still hate Wil’s step-father, Pyle. That man’s been dead over 50 years and I’d still like to kill him.